The Week that Wasn’t by Bob Ryan

This past week…or slightly more…has really been a stunner to many of us…there were stunning events….let’s take a closer look at the Week that Wasn’t…

….this week wasn’t a good one for the merry-go-round of the Cardinal roster….pushed off was John Gant. The press and Card mgmt. really seemed to be thrilled as they had promoted Gant in a big way when he arrived on the scene…this LHP could really add substance to the bullpen….he could be a long man, a short man, a specialist, yada-yada-yada….right..(did you read my sarcasm)….one week later…after 1 appearance of 3.1 innings…he’s demoted for a backup journeyman 1B,Chad Huffman. This 32 year had played last in the MLB in 2010! Hitting .167 (3 of 18) in that brief journey to the big-time…now we’ve gone full circle..we traded…practically gave away…Matt Adams (backup 1B and an excellent pinch-hitter)…now we have Huffman…a short-time MLB player…the merry-go-round continues… but wait…even more as this ominous week continued…. Two players-Broxton & Peralta were released…2 Coaches were removed from the roster….Maloney was “cut” outright and Bill Mueller saved face while being placed on a leave of absence…then Yadi missed 2 straight games with back issues… Kolton Wong returns….hope they’ll keep patting him on the back..or lower…we need his speed and skill set…WOW…what a week..of course the 7 game losing streak was the perverbial rock that broke the camel’s back…or maybe it was a meeting between MO and the DeWitts and MO got the word…if there isn’t immediate improvement (our sales for down for future Cardinal home games)…you’re gone.

….this week wasn’t good for Oklahoma football…the resignation of Bob Stoopes (190-48 .798, 1 national title) may cause a drop-off of the Sooner Football. Following Bud Wilkenson (1947-63, 145-29-4 .826, 3 national titles) there was a ten year lull until a guy named Barry Switzer came along(157-29-4-.836, 3 national titles)…When Switzer left, it took 11 years to find Stoopes…so if history holds true, Sooner fans will be screaming for about a decade until they find the next “great” Sooner coach.

…this wasn’t the week that Golden State could wrap up 16 straight post-season wins while sweeping the Cavs….LeBron kept his Cavaliers in the post-season with a powerful victory in game 4.

…btw..this isn’t the week that you expected the Cardinals to “eat” the remaining part of the $10mil contract with Johnny Peralta..seldom..if ever…have the Cards swallowed such an amount of money..and don’t tell me that he earned it in the first 2 years of the contract…Johnny earned $15m, $15m, $12.5m and this year—his 4th year–$10m..he hit .263, .275, .260 and now .204…his RBI total was 75, 71, 20 and 4..his HR totals were 21, 17, 8, 0…..those numbers don’t coincide with my idea of a guy earning $52.5m for 4 years….basically…it was a poor signing by MO.

…the date of June 8th wasn’t the day or the week that the Cards elevated our playoff hopes…on June 8, 2017 the Cards have a run differential of -20 (they’ve been outscored by 20 runs)…check out the last 5 years of the Cardinals on June 8th…on 2016, it was +58, 2015-+62, in 2014 +16, 2013 saw a +91 and 2012 +56. Using a 5 year history as a basis, only 7 playoff teams (out of a total of 50-14%) were in a negative differential on June 8…they were–2012: Orioles (-7); Tigers (-18); Athletics (-21); 2013-Dodgers(-37); 2014- Royals(-15); Pirates (-20) 2015: Cubs (-1) 2016: none. The last time the Cards were 26-31 on June 8 was 2007..gee…think of the changes in YOUR life in the last 10 years

…this week wasn’t when you expected to find out that Wilt Chamberlain won 3 straight Big Eight Titles in the High Jump and was also inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame..funny what people pop into your mind as you watch the NBA Finals …what else could LeBron have accomplished outside basketball? … Probably a lot ..just think of LeBron as a defender on the soccer pitch, a track-field athlete, or an outside LB in the NFL

…this week wasn’t good because we realized that the 2017 Cardinal OF is worse defensively than the Cardinals 2016 OF defensively…and that OF included Matt Holliday…ouch.

…this week wasn’t the week that anyone would expect Marshawn Lynch’s press conference to rival Tony’s post game press conferences…but it did…the longer he talked…the more “salty” the language became and the more the love of Oakland came forth to the public…just speaking for myself…I don’t think that he CAN make the come back….any running back in the NFL has a short shelf life and Lynch took a beating as he often carried the ball on inside runs for Seattle..but …good luck to him

….this week wasn’t what we EVER expected in the NL Central Division standings….the Milwaukee Brewers in 1st place, Cubs 2 games out; Reds 3 games behind, Cards at -3.5 with Pittsburgh -5.5 games behind…are you kidding me…are we still in April with Milwaukee top?

…this wan’t the week that you expected the returning players to the Mizzou basketball team to “rehatch” from the off-season egg …after being ignored during all the signings, they now claim that THEY were important also to the success of the team…..one might ask…what success?…anyway…only Jordan Bartnett (CBC) it seems…will have any chance to average 20 min per game with this improved roster

…all 3 of the Triple Crown races saw horses “coming from behind” to win…exciting! Since we commonly accept the top 3 races (Triple Crown)for 3-year horses…why not have 2 horse races for the 2 year olds?

….this week wasn’t the week that we expected to find just 1 Cardinal in the top 40 of NL hitters in the Batting Average Category…it was Jed Gyorko @ #9

….this wasn’t the week …or any week…that anyone expected Aaron Judge to pass up Mike Trout in the American League All-Star voting…come on….Trout..proven superstar vs a New York rookie star ?

….this week wasn’t the week that you expected Manifesto to pull out Lance Lynn after 5 innings, only 78 pitches and a 3-1 lead…of course the Cards bullpen blew up and bye-bye win…it seems Manifesto is managing the team with a quick finger to appeal, looking for the new “fresh” guy, pulling pitchers quickly and shuffling the lineup more than a deck of cards(pardon the pun)…you might call it “pressure”….don’t know if you can win in that style…

…this week wasn’t the week that you expected Pittsbugh to pepper the puck past Rinne like he was had on blinders in game 5.

….this wasn’t the week …it was actually June 30, 2014 when Sports Illustrated proclaimed that the Houston Astros would be the 2017 World Champions..it was laughed at, ridiculed, mocked at the time…but…right now…the Astros are 42-18, 1st place. Jeff Luhnow took control of the team in 2011. He’s drafted players superbly…in a sport that seems to be the most difficult to project of the major 4 sports…signed significant free agents while staying close to budget, make several key trades..in a word..his evaluation of players is at the highest level….ya gotta wonder…did the Cards choose the wrong man to be THEIR GM?

…this wasn’t the week that you expected the Reds to do something that they hadn’t done since 2003… sweep the Cards in a 4 game series including one game when a guy nicknamed “Scooter” hit 4 home runs…who’s next for the 4 dingers in a game? Pee Wee? Tiny? Lil’ Abner? Jethro Bodine?

…this wasn’t the week that the Cardinals moved up in the MLB “runs scored” category…currently the Cards are #26 (of 30 teams) in runs scored in 2017

…this wasn’t the week that I was going to play the pink-bunny…and keep going…and going..and going…Thanks for reading….I welcome your responses…they are always interesting….

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Interesting week in Bird Land. It appears some veteran players voiced their displeasure with Coaches Maloney & Mueller. All of sudden Mike Shildt and the new Asst Hitting Coach will turn the team around? ( Mueller… a leave of absence?? What’s up with that?)
Tommy Pham has had a good run… now Grichuk is returning… someone will be trade bait. I think Pham’s history of injury/ eye problems make him the guy who goes.

Net… they need a big bat and a dependable left handed reliever to be the 7th inning guy/ situational option.

Receiving lots of e mails/ twitter notes from Cards with THEIR all-star ballot. Gyrko is only legit all star worthy Cardinal.